Shoe-last



(No Model S. B. MONAMARA.

, SHOELAST.

' No. 373,840. Patented Nov.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

S. BURTON MONAMAR-A, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-LAST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,840, dated November29, 1887. Application filed September 19, 1887. Serial No. 250,091. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, S. BURTON MONAMARA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Haverhill, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements inExtension-Lasts,- and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersorfigu resof reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to lasts adapted particularly to the" manufactureof turned shoes, so called. It consistsin an extensionlast, the peculiarfeatures in the construction of which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed.

The drawings represent in Figure 1 a central vertical sectionlongitudinally of an extension-last embodying my improvements with theblock in its retracted position. Fig. 2 is a plan of the last with theblock removed; Fig. 3 is a plan of the under side of the block.

As before premised, the primary object of my invention is to produce anextension-last.

To those skilled in the art it is well understood that an extension-lastis almost a necessity in the manufacture of shoes, particularly thatclass styled turned shoes, for the rea son that the same last isgenerally reinserted and is employed during the finishing process. Toeffect this object I have formed a last which is composed of a mainbody, B, and block C. One prominent feature in this last A is embodiedin the block portion,which contains the toe D. This result is secured bycutting the last A as an entirety, not in the usual manner, leaving thetoe partintact with the main body B, but in dividing it by an obliquecurved out, which leaves the toe attached to the block; hence the lastis shortened upon retraction of the block, as shown in Fig. 1, thelatter-piece moving back and obliquely upward upon the main body.

the numerals 24, which represent the concave ones on the main body,while 24are the convex surfaces on the block. This cut extends forwarddown through the bottom of the last to a point a short distance from theextremity of the toe thereof; hence the last is composed of twosections-the main body B and the block 0, with the toe portion D. Uponrearward movement of' the block, which moves likewise obliquely upward,the last is temporarily reduced in length and its withdrawal from theshoe facilitated without stretching or straining the material composingthe latter. The for- Ward travel of the block is limited by the contactor meeting of the surfaces 3 3, and therefore the size of the lastlikewise. These shouldersS 3 extend across the last, and thus brace thespring-catch against any twisting motion, besides limiting the movementof block 0 on body B.

To connect the block to the body of the last, I have inserted in thesurface 2 a plate, b, slotted'longitudinally at 0 and adapted to receivea bolt, d, which is screwed to the block 0, the head of said boltengaging beneath the plate, while the main body B is grooved to permitpassage to and fro of the bolt-head. Thus endwise movement of the blockis effected upon and with respect to the body portion B.

To secure the retaining-bolt in the block, I have bored ahole, e,whichopens upon the bottom of the last, as shown in Fig. 1. The bolt isinserted therein and, by means of a suitable tool, properly positionedin saidblock, when a plug, f, is driven into the hole to coverit andpreserve the surface of the last A unimpaired. Furthermore, to preventthe block from retracting or springing back when in the act of lasting ashoe, I have secured within a recess upon the under convex side, 2', ofthe block a plate-spring, g, which is provided with astud orlocking-pin, h, adapted to engage a hole, '6, in the plate b near itsupper end, thus forming a spring-catch for the two parts of the last.This plate-spring projects slightly beyond the top of the last, andthereby enables the operator to actuate it whenever he desires to removethe last A.

As the extremity of the bottom of the last in the body portion issomewhat reduced where it joins the toe portion, I have preferably seIOC cured upon the surface 4 a thin metallic plate, j, which strengthensand prevents it from being chipped or broken; but this plate may beomitted without affecting the action of the last proper. t

The operation of the last is simple-that is, presuming it to be inposition with the block disposed as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1,and that it is desirable to withdraw it from a shoe. The laster pushesforward the platespring g, disengaging the stud from the hole 1', inwhich it sets, when the block can be retracted. This rearward travelwithdraws the too D with it, and thereby shortens the last Asufficiently to enable the body B to be obliquely tilted and readilyremoved. This is easily done, since the pressure from the toe and instepis obviated by the movement of the block andtoe part obliquely upwardupon the body B.

As above described, the extensible last A is, when in an extendedposition, of smooth and uniform contour in every portion and perfectlyadapted to lasting uppers of any description, while its extensibilityenables it to be used in fine work, where an ordinary last is notavailable.

1 am aware that extension-lasts have been made, and therefore I do notbroadly claim this feature of construction; but I have no knowledge of alast which has been formed in two sections-a body portion and a blockhaving the toe portion attached to it-by an oblique cut extending fromthe upper part near the ankle forward to and through the bottom at a 7point near the toe of the last. Thereby the last, when in an extendedposition in the shoe, preserves its contour unimpaired in every part, ineontradistinction to'extensionlasts in which aslot or space existsbetween the two parts when actively extended, this space preventing theemployment of lasts of this class in lasting uppers where one made andembodying my improvements could be used.

Vhat I claim is- 1. An extension-last composed of the main body B andblock O,in combination with plate Z1, flush with the inner face of saidbody and having theperforationiformedinihandthespringplate 9, attachedto and countersunk in the corresponding face of the block and providedwith a stud, h, for entering said perforation, said block having the toeintegral with itand being adapted to move obliquely to and fro on themain body, substantially as set forth.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, an extension -last, A,composed of the main body B, block 0, and the plate I), having slot andperforation i, the screw (7, engaging with the walls of saidperforation, and the springplate 9, provided with stud It, for enteringsaid perforation, said block having the toe D integral with it andadapted to move obliquely to and fro upon the main body, substantiallyas and for the purposes stated.

3. In an extension-last, the main body B, having the oblique concavesurfaces 2 4, shoulder 3, the slotted plate b, and the imperforate plate9, combined with the block 0, the toe D, integral therewith, havingsimilar convex surfaces, 2 4, the interlocking shoulder 3, and spring g,with its pin h, all operating substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

S. BURTON MGNAMARA.

Vitnesses:

G120. W. WENTwoRrH, J ARED M. DAVIS.

